Kansas, Missouri students to take United Way challenge

By Terry Rombeck     Sep 27, 2003

While their schools’ football teams battle it out on the field, a group of students from Kansas University and University of Missouri are hoping to have a friendly battle of their own for a good cause.

During the third-quarter break of today’s KU-MU football game, the students will announce a competition to benefit the universities’ United Way campaigns.

“It’s a really nice, well-spirited competition — with no beer bottles being thrown,” said James Owen, one of the KU students involved, referring to the attacks KU band members have periodically faced from Missouri fans.

The competition will include two facets in coming weeks — a change drive and a tally of volunteer hours performed for United Way organizations.

KU students will collect spare change Oct. 15 at Wescoe Beach, the Kansas Union and another spot near Budig Hall. They will perform community service Oct. 12.

Ed Stewart, associate director of athletics at MU, said his students’ fund drive would be Oct. 3, but the date for community service hasn’t been set. David Toczlowski, the MU student organizer of the event, couldn’t be reached Friday.

Owen, a law student who sits on KU’s United Way campaign steering committee, said there had been discussions of a traveling trophy, but nothing was settled.

“We just figured it would be fun, with the two universities that have such a storied rivalry athletically, to engage our students to carry over that competitive edge for a worthy cause,” Stewart said.

Owen predicted KU would win the fund drive, considering there are about 3,000 more students in Lawrence than in Columbia. Stewart declined to offer his forecast on the head-to-head outcome.

“I have one prediction,” he said. “No matter what, the United Way will benefit.”

And both Owen and Stewart had the same prediction for today’s game — it should be close.

“I think it’ll be a great ball game,” Stewart said. “Missouri’s ranked right now. Kansas is improved. It’ll be a dogfight, I’m sure.”

“I think it’s going to be anybody’s game,” Owen added. “I think we have a good shot. But I can’t say too much because I’ve got a bunch of Missouri friends coming into town. I don’t want them to read bad quotes in the paper.”

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